Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for Northern Ireland. The NIFRS is overseen by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board, which in turn is subordinate to the Department of Health. NIFRS has a workforce of around 2,230 personnel.
NIFRS serves the entire population of Northern Ireland, an area of over with a population of 1.88 million people. Service Headquarters is located in Lisburn Co. Antrim.
The current Interim Chief Fire & Rescue Officer is Michael Graham.
History
Organised firefighting began in what is now Northern Ireland in the 19th century. In 1800, the Belfast Borough Police were established and firefighting was one of their duties. The firefighting units were later separated from the police to form the Belfast Fire Brigade.Until World War II, towns had their own fire services. In 1942, Northern Ireland's fire services were amalgamated into one, though they were separate from the National Fire Service that covered the rest of the United Kingdom. After the war, the service was split into the re-established Belfast Fire Brigade and the Northern Ireland Fire Authority, which covered the rest of Northern Ireland.
On 1 October 1973, the two fire services were merged into a single service, named Northern Ireland Fire Brigade. In 2006, the service adopted its current name of Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.
Fire stations and appliances
Eastern Command
Station Callsign | Station Name | Duty System | Appliances |
E11 | Knock | Wholetime | 1x WrL, 1x WrT, 1x TL |
E12 | Central | Wholetime | 1x RP |
E12/RT | Central/SRT | Wholetime | 1x SRP, 1x RRV, 1x L4V, 1x SEU, 1x IrbT, 1x SDU, 3x PM for 5x USAR Pods |
E13 | Cadogan | Wholetime | 2x WrL, 1x FESU |
E13 | Dunmurry | Satellite Station | 1x WrL |
E21 | Whitla | Wholetime | 1x WrL, 1x WrT/OSU, 1x MRT, 2x PM* for Pods: 1x MDD, 1x HVP, 1x MRU |
E22 | Westland | Wholetime | 1x WrL, 1x L4V, 1x PM+MDD*, 1x PM+HVP* |
E23 | Springfield | Wholetime | 1x WrL, 1x WrT, 1x TL |
Northern Command
Station Callsign | Station Name | Duty System | Appliances |
N11 | Ballymena | Wholetime/Retained | 1x WrL, 1x RP |
N12 | Kilrea | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x CSU* |
N13 | Cushendall | Retained | 1x WrL |
N14 | Carnlough | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x L4V |
N15 | Larne | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x RP |
N21 | Coleraine | Day Crewed/Retained | 1x WrL, 1x RP |
N22 | Portstewart | Retained | 2x WrL |
N23 | Portrush | Retained | 2x WrL |
N24 | Ballymoney | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x ATV |
N25 | Ballycastle | Retained | 2x WrL, 1x L4V |
N26 | Rathlin Island | Volunteer | 1x WrL |
N31 | Glengormley | Wholetime/Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrT/FoT, 1x PM* for Pods: 1x FoC, 1x WelfU |
N32 | Antrim | Day Crewed/Retained | 2x WrL |
N33 | Ballyclare | Retained | 2x WrL |
N34 | Carrickfergus | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrT |
N35 | Whitehead | Retained | 1x WrL |
N41 | Lisburn | Wholetime/Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrT, 1x CSU* |
N42 | Crumlin | Retained | 1x WrL |
Southern Command
Station Callsign | Station Name | Duty System | Appliances |
S11 | Portadown | Retained | 2x WrL, 1x TL |
S12 | Armagh | Day Crewed/Retained | 2x WrL, 1x L4V |
S13 | Banbridge | Retained | 2x WrL |
S14 | Lurgan | Wholetime/Retained | 2x WrL |
S15 | Keady | Retained | 1x WrL |
S16 | Dromore | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x DIM* |
S21 | Bangor | Wholetime/Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrT |
S22 | Comber | Retained | 1x WrL |
S23 | Donaghadee | Retained | 1x WrL |
S24 | Ballywalter | Retained | 1x WrL |
S25 | Holywood | Retained | 2x WrL |
S26 | Newtownards | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x RP |
S27 | Portaferry | Retained | 1x WrL |
S31 | Newry | Wholetime/Retained | 1x WrL, 1x RP, 1x OSU* |
S32 | Crossmaglen | Retained | 1x WrL |
S33 | Rathfriland | Retained | 1x WrL 1x ATV |
S34 | Warrenpoint | Retained | 2x WrL, 1x WrC |
S35 | Newtownhamilton | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrT |
S41 | Downpatrick | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrT |
S42 | Kilkeel | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x ATV |
S43 | Carryduff | Retained | 1x WrL |
S44 | Newcastle | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x RP, 1x L4V, 1x ART |
S45 | Ballynahinch | Retained | 2x WrL |
Western Command
Station Callsign | Station Name | Duty System | Appliances |
W11 | Crescent Link | Wholetime/Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrT, 1x RT/OSU, 1x WRU, 1x L4V+IrbT, |
W12 | Northland | Wholetime | 1x WrL, 1x WrT/FoT, 1x TL, 1x PM* for Pods: 1x FoC, 1x MDD, 1x WelfU |
W13 | Strabane | Retained | 2x WrL, 1x CSU* |
W14 | Limavady | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrT |
W15 | Dungiven | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrC |
W21 | Omagh | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x RP, 1x L4V, 1x PM+HVP*, 1x ART |
W22 | Dromore | Retained | 1x WrL |
W23 | Castlederg | Retained | 1x WrL 1x ATV |
W24 | Fintona | Retained | 1x WrL |
W25 | Newtownstewart | Retained | 1x WrL |
W31 | Cookstown | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x ATV |
W32 | Pomeroy | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrC |
W33 | Maghera | Retained | 2x WrL |
W34 | Dungannon | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x RP |
W35 | Magherafelt | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x RP |
W41 | Enniskillen | Retained | 1x WrT, 1x RP, 1x L4V |
W42 | Irvinestown | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x CSU* |
W43 | Belleek | Retained | 1x WrL, 1x WrC |
W44 | Lisnaskea | Retained | 1x WrL 1x ATV |
W45 | Clogher | Retained | 2x WrL |
Fire Appliance Glossary/Callsigns
- Water Ladder : 01/02
- Water Tender : 02
- 4 x 4 Rescue pump ; 02
- Water Tender/Foam Tender : 06
- Rescue Pump : 71
- Water Tender/Operational Support Unit : 79
- Water Carrier : 73
- Rescue Tender : 04
- Turntable Ladder : 05
- Prime Mover + High Volume Pump : 60
- Operational Support Unit : 72/74
- Light 4x4 Vehicle + Inshore Rescue Boat : 76
- Command Support Unit : 78
- Light 4x4 Vehicle : 76
- Animal Rescue Team : 76
- Marine Response Vehicle : 96
- Water Rescue Unit : 96
- Fire & Emergency Support Unit FESS 1/ FESS 2/ FESS 3
- Prime Mover : 51/60/62
- Foam Carrier
- Marine Response Unit
- Welfare Unit
- Rapid Response Vehicle : RT60
- Specialist Rescue Pump : RT190
- Specialist Equipment Unit : RT196
- Light 4x4 Vehicle : RT197
- Search & Rescue Dog Unit
- Prime Mover : RT191/RT192/RT193
- Module 1 - Technical Search Equipment
- Module 2 - Heavy Transport, Confined Space & Hot Cutting
- Module 3 - Breaching & Breaking Equipment
- Module 4 - Multi Purpose Vehicle
- Module 5 - Shoring Operations
- Detection, Identification & Monitoring
- Prime Mover + Mass Decontamination Disrobe : 60/62
Statistics